Its a blogger fight!

So the discussion round begins for the pre-season top 25 blogpoll. Question of the moment - "Is Virginia or Villanova better than Clemson?"

First up, UCLA and coach Howland agree to 7 year deal.

"Ben is certainly deserving of this commitment by UCLA," said Dan Guerrero, the school's athletic director. "He is clearly one of the top teachers and recruiters in college basketball. He has re-established UCLA as one of the nation's elite programs, as our back-to-back Final Fours illustrate, and has built a solid foundation that will keep us at the forefront for the foreseeable future."

But is he worth $1.5 million GUARANTEED a year? Not if he doesn't bring a national championship home within 3 years.


Straight cash, homey

And oh MY, the Maryland Terps scored the LOWEST GSR (Graduation Success Rate) out of the 2006-07 Top 25 Coaches Poll!

They scored a zero. A ZERO!!!

2006-07 men's basketball USA TODAY Top 25 Coaches' Poll ranked by graduation success rate (GSR):

1. Florida (100)
2. Butler (92)
3. North Carolina (86)
4. Vanderbilt (83)
5. Georgetown (82)
6. Virginia (80)
7. Southern Illinois (79)
8. Winthrop (77)
9. Wisconsin (67)
9. Virginia Tech (67)

National average 61

11. Oregon (59)
12. Pittsburgh (56)
13. Louisville (50)
14. Kansas (45)
15. Ohio State (40)
15. UCLA (40)
15. Memphis (40)
15. Texas A&M (40)
19. Washington State (35)
19. Nevada (35)
21. Texas (33)
21. Tennessee (33)
23. Southern California (29)
24. UNLV (15)
25. Maryland (0)

The best is that the Maryland blogs are crying about how they know three or four students on the team that graduated, so the number should be higher...

First - It's a rolling average. 3 out of an incoming 50 would be, oh about .06
Second - One guy makes the following astute comment:

"Those of you defending these numbers.... You're kidding, right?

Are you seriously making excuses for this pathetic outcome?"

Right on. And for the rest of those guys...


Waa-waa. That's the sound of you crying. Illiterately.